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Madeleine

Madeleine

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Why is it we cannot hang on to a housekeeper this summer? We're reasonably nice people. Pleasant employers. The job pays more than anything else around here for someone with zero experience or no education. The hours are decent. The work environment is casual. We tell our employees they are doing a good job. We give bonuses. (Altho no one has been here long enough to earn one this year!)
So why am I now looking for the FOURTH employee in 10 weeks? We still have 12 weeks of peak season to go. I feel like I'm being slowly crushed. I've scheduled 3 days off this summer. Something we never do. We're blocking rooms so we're not inundated with whole house flips every other day. I AM LOSING MONEY! (Along with what's left of my mind!)
 
sorry you are having more than your share of issues this summer. guess ther are just a bunch of lazies out there.
 
I'm convinced that especially in smaller towns, people just don't want to work! I feel for you...hopefully you'll find another replacement soon.
cry_smile.gif
 
We had the same thing with staff when we owned a restaurant. We found that "someone with zero experience or no education" will quit their job with no notice if, for instance, their boyfriend wants to go to St. Louis to see a Cardinals game, or their mom wants to go to Memphis to browse the flea markets today.
The job means nothing to them, and they'd rather just quit than ask for a day off on short notice. They are just a different sort of people from the rest of us!
 
Arkansawyer said:
We had the same thing with staff when we owned a restaurant. We found that "someone with zero experience or no education" will quit their job with no notice if, for instance, their boyfriend wants to go to St. Louis to see a Cardinals game, or their mom wants to go to Memphis to browse the flea markets today.
The job means nothing to them, and they'd rather just quit than ask for a day off on short notice. They are just a different sort of people from the rest of us!.
Click to expand...
Arkansawyer said:
to go to St. Louis to see a Cardinals game
/quote]
I my eyes that's a good reason! GO CARDS!
Click to expand...
 
I am sooo sorry you are having to deal with this - again. I wanted my "girl" to come today or tomorrow but she got a real job so cannot come until Sunday. The good thing is that by Sunday I will have another 14 pillowcases (in addition to what is already waiting) needing to be ironed and extras if they use extra pillowcases plus 3 rooms needing flipped and cleaned - deep cleaning.
Cross fingers for me tomorrow. None of what needs done tomorrow can be done in advance because of the two guys who came in last night. I need to clear everything out from on the dryer and in front of the washer for delivery of my new washer - will put in the dining room after breakfast. 2 rooms to flip. Mini-Pepperoni Rolls to be made for a 6 PM reception for a retiring City Worker, and 3 rooms coming in. Will be making the dough for the rolls tonight (refrigerator rolls) and I got the cot and pack n play up (he e-mailed they had air mattresses so those would not be needed but NO ONE sleeps on the floor in my inn) in that room.
Saturday is the Citywide Yard sale, memorial service for the Mother of the guests, and I have an elopement scheduled for the same time as the memorial.
Maddie, I hope you find someone reliable very soon. I will keep what I have rather than trade for yours.
 
Sorry about that. Reminds me of a book that I was reading and how she spoke of the jobs that she did, working around the US.
Have you tried to talk to a cleaning service that might be able to help and send someone over when you are over your head and need help? It's straight expense and they have to worry about retention instead of you. Just an idea for a backup system.
 
Eric Arthur Blair said:
Sorry about that. Reminds me of a book that I was reading and how she spoke of the jobs that she did, working around the US.
Have you tried to talk to a cleaning service that might be able to help and send someone over when you are over your head and need help? It's straight expense and they have to worry about retention instead of you. Just an idea for a backup system..
Click to expand...
Merry Maids
 
One of our cleaner's mother called to tell us that D won't be able to work on Saturday because she (D) is in jail .... but she'll be able to work again the next Saturday
 
Harborfields said:
One of our cleaner's mother called to tell us that D won't be able to work on Saturday because she (D) is in jail .... but she'll be able to work again the next Saturday.
Click to expand...
Harborfields said:
One of our cleaner's mother called to tell us that D won't be able to work on Saturday because she (D) is in jail .... but she'll be able to work again the next Saturday
Click to expand...
Sounds like around here! For several years I kept going to the temp agency nearby and the only qualifications I was looking for was they had to pass a background check and a drug test. NOPE not 1 person qualified. Sad....
 
Breakfast Diva said:
Harborfields said:
One of our cleaner's mother called to tell us that D won't be able to work on Saturday because she (D) is in jail .... but she'll be able to work again the next Saturday.
Click to expand...
Harborfields said:
One of our cleaner's mother called to tell us that D won't be able to work on Saturday because she (D) is in jail .... but she'll be able to work again the next Saturday
Click to expand...
Sounds like around here! For several years I kept going to the temp agency nearby and the only qualifications I was looking for was they had to pass a background check and a drug test. NOPE not 1 person qualified. Sad....
.
Click to expand...
Breakfast Diva said:
Harborfields said:
One of our cleaner's mother called to tell us that D won't be able to work on Saturday because she (D) is in jail .... but she'll be able to work again the next Saturday
Click to expand...
Sounds like around here! For several years I kept going to the temp agency nearby and the only qualifications I was looking for was they had to pass a background check and a drug test. NOPE not 1 person qualified. Sad....
Click to expand...
Wow. Just wow.
 
Breakfast Diva said:
Harborfields said:
One of our cleaner's mother called to tell us that D won't be able to work on Saturday because she (D) is in jail .... but she'll be able to work again the next Saturday.
Click to expand...
Harborfields said:
One of our cleaner's mother called to tell us that D won't be able to work on Saturday because she (D) is in jail .... but she'll be able to work again the next Saturday
Click to expand...
Sounds like around here! For several years I kept going to the temp agency nearby and the only qualifications I was looking for was they had to pass a background check and a drug test. NOPE not 1 person qualified. Sad....
.
Click to expand...
Breakfast Diva said:
Sounds like around here! For several years I kept going to the temp agency nearby and the only qualifications I was looking for was they had to pass a background check and a drug test. NOPE not 1 person qualified. Sad....
Click to expand...
We've never done either of those. And we still can't find someone who will show up everyday!
Right now we have our fallback plan - we'll block rooms when we see we're going to end up turning the room too many times in a week. (Like one room I have that has been booked for one nighters all week. Blocked now so we don't get that again for next week.) Asking if guests want their rooms cleaned instead of just running to clean them everyday. Hang out the 'check in is at...' sign (at 10 in the morning, given our track record!)
Or, simply limit the number of rooms we take on any given night. It stinks big time that I have to lose revenue because people don't keep their commitments but who said life was going to be fair.
And, I'll lose 10 lbs by Labor Day! And save a couple of hundred dollars by not going to my HS reunion! It's all good stuff! (Where's the smiley that sticks out its tongue???)
 
Madeleine said:
Breakfast Diva said:
Harborfields said:
One of our cleaner's mother called to tell us that D won't be able to work on Saturday because she (D) is in jail .... but she'll be able to work again the next Saturday.
Click to expand...
Harborfields said:
One of our cleaner's mother called to tell us that D won't be able to work on Saturday because she (D) is in jail .... but she'll be able to work again the next Saturday
Click to expand...
Sounds like around here! For several years I kept going to the temp agency nearby and the only qualifications I was looking for was they had to pass a background check and a drug test. NOPE not 1 person qualified. Sad....
.
Click to expand...
Breakfast Diva said:
Sounds like around here! For several years I kept going to the temp agency nearby and the only qualifications I was looking for was they had to pass a background check and a drug test. NOPE not 1 person qualified. Sad....
Click to expand...
We've never done either of those. And we still can't find someone who will show up everyday!
Right now we have our fallback plan - we'll block rooms when we see we're going to end up turning the room too many times in a week. (Like one room I have that has been booked for one nighters all week. Blocked now so we don't get that again for next week.) Asking if guests want their rooms cleaned instead of just running to clean them everyday. Hang out the 'check in is at...' sign (at 10 in the morning, given our track record!)
Or, simply limit the number of rooms we take on any given night. It stinks big time that I have to lose revenue because people don't keep their commitments but who said life was going to be fair.
And, I'll lose 10 lbs by Labor Day! And save a couple of hundred dollars by not going to my HS reunion! It's all good stuff! (Where's the smiley that sticks out its tongue???)
.
Click to expand...
One thing I did a couple of months ago was go to the Staples store and buy door hangers. Using a templet, I made door hangers that hang on the inside of the guest door which says:
The name of our Inn
Room freshening is offered until 12:00 noon.
If you are staying over, leave this on the outside of your door knob if no freshening is necessary.
NO FRESHENING NEEDED
images.jpg

It looks great and people are using it! I know that some of you insist on going into their rooms every day, but this works great for us and you would be amazed at how many times they put it out. It's saved us a lot of time and I LOVE IT!
 
its true its very hard to get career chamber maid's - they are like waiters, all doing that till something better comes along
 

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